Anti-idiotypic antibodies raised against anti-metenkephalin antibodies in rabbits.

Anti-idiotypic antibodies were raised in rabbits immunized against immunoglobulins purified from anti-metenkephalin antibody. The antibodies competed dose-dependently with metenkephalin in binding to anti-metenkephalin antibody on a solid phase metenkephalin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The titers of the antiidiotypic activity appeared characteristically in transient peaks and troughs in alternation with anti-metenkephalin activities and were retained after purification on various affinity columns.